The kingdom of Felshan is at its breaking point. The death of the prince seven years ago left the country vulnerable. In their grief, the King and Queen have all but abandoned their duties, leaving their daughter to hold the pieces together. The last hope for a peaceful future rests with Princess Adalena, the new, albeit hesitant, heir of Felshan. When the princess is kidnapped, a secret few must find her before a power grab for the throne dismantles the country for good. Ari is a commissioned thief and spy, her skills honed by the very palace she once despised. Being asked to save the missing princess brings her head-to-head with the last person she’d ever choose—Roan Montgomery. Roan is captain of the Royal Guard, working through his own misery and troubled past while attempting to keep the peace in a crumbling Felshan. Ari wants to be free. Roan wants to forget. This treacherous quest will push Ari and Roan to their breaking point, pulling the duo intimately together in the process. The fate of the realm rests with these unlikely allies, who discover along the way that they themselves might be the ones who need saving.
Severity reflects intensity, not value — “central theme” means a warning is a core part of the book, not that the book is bad.